Recommend Communications Provider In Adelaide

[Sklyn]

Hi, So I'm moving to Adelaide in a few weeks, and need to get connected.

Will be looking for landline phone (if required), mobile phone, internet, TV (maybe).

Looking for recommendations on reliability and cost. Not looking for any huge packages (maybe 10gig/mth downloads), mainly basic plans on the cheaper side.

Coming from the Territory we don't have much choice and as much as i hate Telstra, I have found they were the best option for me to run with up here. But I have cut all ties with them now except my prepaid mobile, and looking to start fresh.

Does anyone else do package bundle discounts including TV?

Do you have to have landline to have good home internet at a reasonable price? (The mobile dongles are more than I want to pay for the downloads)

Thanks for your advice!

[Krishy]

You will find that a lot of telco providers these days offer good bundles which include your landline, internet and pay tv as well. Just look up all the typical telco packages from telstra, optus, internode, adam etc

For example: Adam Internet has a decent bundle, internet, voip, fetch tv and adam mobile

Telstra, optus and the rest will have something similar to offer as well. Just do as much research as you can.

[scandyflick]

Internode.

Internet, fetch TV, mobile service, and more importantly, Adelaide based, not owned by Telstra...

[Sklyn]

Thanks guys, Internode and Optus are looking good so far, closely followed by Adam..

have been researching/comparing etc....

Can someone just clear something up for me? (It's been 4 years since I have had much to do with this as I have been travelling in Europe)

Do I 'need' a traditional landline connection?

Am reading about 'Naked' and Voip, etc but do I actually need the basic landline to access naked or does it replace it entirely?

[Krishy]

If you get Naked ADSL than you don't pay line rental. You should be able to use VOIP via Naked ADSL. Works like a normal adsl and phone connection except you don' pay the ridiculous line rental charges

[illmatic]

It will depend on where you live and what the exchange is equipped with but if the company you go with has adsl2+ available at the exchange you get your comms from then you 'should' be able to go naked and not have to pay any line rental.

[scandyflick]

Okay, so the above is *kind of* correct.

Long version:

Depending on the status of the line (ie if its been disconnnected too long or a newly built property) you may still need to pay a connection fee for the phone line ($59-299). If you have a dialtone will be closer to the cheaper end, if silent/dead line closer to the higher end. This is a blanket rule.

Then you'd need to pay at least one months landline rental fee while the ISP converts the line to Naked.

If theres a dialtone on the line and you dont know the number, punch in 127 22 123 and it should read it back. Give this to your ISP when you order.

Internode for one have a No Connection No Fee policy so order the Naked service you want and if they can't do it without activating the line as above, you dont get charged for trying, and they tell you whats needed and how much etc before proceeding.

But yeah, Naked ADSL availability is solely dependent on the infrastructure with which you connect to the exchange.

[Sklyn]

Hmm, thanks..

I have no idea of the current status of the line. I did do an online search of the address and it said it 'should' be ok for ADSL2.

Was kinda hoping to have it connected up before i arrived.

Is a VOIP phone completely different to a normal phone? ie can i use it to plug in to see if there is a dial tone? or will it only work plugged into a modem.

[scandyflick]

The address search is only telling you what the exchange is capable of.

A voip handset is totally different hardware, intended to receive voip signal carried by internet, in this vein I dont believe it likely to perform the same as a normal handset for this test.

A naked connection takes 10-20 business days between ordering and getting online.

[Sklyn]

hmm, bugger that sucks.... might just have to start getting it set up when i first move in and hope its done when i get back from holidays 4 weeks later.

Looks like I'm investing in a mobile dongle too.

Thanks very much for your help =)

[Krishy]

 

The address search is only telling you what the exchange is capable of.

A voip handset is totally different hardware, intended to receive voip signal carried by internet, in this vein I dont believe it likely to perform the same as a normal handset for this test.

A naked connection takes 10-20 business days between ordering and getting online.

 

VOIP depends on what modem you have. Some modems support just a standard phone plugged in and others require VOIP only handsets.

I had my naked service setup with Adam and didn't take that long but I can understand how it might end up taking a while.

[scandyflick]

I've not heard of a standard phone handset being used in a VoIP setup. Hardware is pretty different between a standard handset and a VoIP handset.

Every case is different. Mine took 19 days. Neighbours connection took 7.

[Dohmar]

I've not heard of a standard phone handset being used in a VoIP setup. Hardware is pretty different between a standard handset and a VoIP handset.

Every case is different. Mine took 19 days. Neighbours connection took 7.

Standard phones can be used, however they need to be plugged into a terminal adaptor that converts voip to standard analog signal - these are falling out of favour as most voip phones are integrated units so it means one less wall wart/box cluttering up the place. Also, a lot of the voip phones use wireless to communicate where the standard phones still need to run on rj11/rj45 cable to the terminal adaptor.

-D

[MattR]

ive got Adam with the voip and fetch (standard phone with adapter) $80 per month with 500gig per month and unlimited phone calls. I know adam is now Telstra but customer service is a lot better at this stage but might change. best deal for what i wanted

[Sklyn]

Thanks for all your contributions!!

I'm struggling between Internode and Adam. Will have to make a phone call and see how that goes i think..

[scandyflick]

In my view Internode would win any day of the week.

They may be owned by iinet now, but they're still based in Adelaide, and still have an excellent quality of service. They're just now able to offer a much broader variety of services.

[GeeDog]

+1 for Internode over Adam - just a more professional outfit in every way.

[Sklyn]

Thanks, I was learning that way, but adam's website seemed a bit more user friendly and I have heard a lot of good things about them, also possibly seemed cheaper.

But yesterday when i was searching internode seemed a better 'package'.

[scandyflick]

Have we mentioned Adam = Telstra? Telstra is never cheaper.

[Sklyn]

yeah i think that was mentioned, but on the website they seem affiliated with optus.. Guess they go both ways =P